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The Connector: Edition 124

Aug 13th, 2025 | The Connector

At TOC, we use the summer to decompress and prepare for fall. This week, we held a virtual Innovation Day with our team, which sparked creativity, new ideas, and the exploration of innovative ways to deliver value to our clients. Through our interactive session and cross-team collaboration, we identified opportunities to enhance our services, streamline processes, and adopt emerging technologies, particularly AI, to drive future growth.

Alongside our forward-thinking strategies, we shared actionable tips to improve everyday efficiency. How many browser tabs are open on your screen right now? Consider the power of tab groups: by organizing and color-coding your tabs, you can save and consolidate essential resources under tailored headings, making them easier to locate and keeping your workspace clutter-free. No more endless searching or crowded screens, just seamless access to what matters most. 

Steps to group tabs:

  • Right-click on the tab you want
  • Click “add to group” or “create group”

This is one way we engage with our team. What’s working for you in terms of engaging your team right now? New tools, fresh ideas, or tried-and-true methods? Let us know!

1. AI Adoption: The Gap Between Hype and Reality

Despite the buzz, most organizations haven’t fully realized AI’s potential. A 2025 S&P Global report indicates that only 27% of enterprises utilizing generative AI have achieved company-wide adoption, while 33% remain limited to departmental projects.

To close this gap, CEOs are turning to cross-functional leaders, including HR, to drive enterprise-wide AI strategies. HR’s role goes far beyond efficiency gains; it’s about enabling AI to transform both business and workforce outcomes.

While AI use in HR processes jumped 90% last year and is projected to grow another 30% this year, formal adoption is still expected to remain under 50% through 2026. This deliberate pace reflects HR’s strategic focus on:

  • Aligning AI with enterprise ROI
  • Adapting talent strategies to AI-driven business models
  • Managing data privacy, compliance, and ethics
  • Overcoming legacy data system challenges

The message is clear: sustainable AI success requires more than quick wins; it demands thoughtful, organization-wide adoption. Read the full article here!

2. Back-to-School Routines with ChatGPT

Just as we settle into the rhythm of summer, the back-to-school season arrives in a flash. To help your family transition seamlessly, our TOC AI Taskforce has curated essential ChatGPT prompts designed to keep you organized and ahead of the curve all school year long.

🍽 Creating Weekly Meal Plans

  • Quickly generate breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas tailored to your family’s dietary needs and picky eaters.
  • Ask for meal prep tips and grocery lists based on your selections.
  • Create themed days (e.g., “Taco Tuesdays” or “Freezer-Friendly Fridays”) to keep things simple and fun.

Example prompt:

“Plan 5 weeknight dinners that are kid-friendly, take under 30 minutes, and use ingredients from Trader Joe’s.”

⏰ Drafting Morning & Evening Routines

  • Build time-blocked routines for smooth school-day transitions.
  • Customize for different ages or household responsibilities (e.g., “Include pet feeding” or “Build in time for reading”).
  • Add reminders for signing folders, setting out clothes, or charging devices.

Example prompt:

“Create a morning routine for a 7-year-old that starts at 6:45 AM and ends when the school bus comes at 7:45 AM.”

📋 Writing Checklists

  • Organize everything from back-to-school supplies to after-school bags to sports gear.
  • Create shared checklists for multiple children.
  • Build printable versions or digital lists for Google Keep or Apple Notes.

Example prompt:

“Make a checklist for a 3rd grader’s school backpack—including daily items and things needed on gym days.”

Learn more here!

3. TOC's P3 Executive Summit

The O'Connor Group’s People, Power & Performance (P3) Executive Summit is coming up on October 23rd at Union League Liberty Hill!

This one-day event is built for CEOs, founders, and business leaders ready to dive into the top trends shaping the future of work and leadership.

Featured sessions include:
💠 AI-Powered Leadership: Your Winning Hand for Efficiency & Innovation with Ethan King
💠 The Future of Work with Chris Dyer
💠 CEO Spotlights
💠 Q4 Economic Outlook with Michael Feuz of ITR Economics

Join us for a day of insight, strategy, and connection. You won’t want to miss it! Register here!

4. Recruitment Strategy and Talent Acquisition: Preparing for a Successful Q3

As we reach the midpoint of Q3, now is the ideal time to elevate your recruitment strategy and sharpen your approach to talent acquisition, positioning your organization for success in the coming months. To fuel growth and attract high-caliber professionals, business leaders should concentrate on these essential recruitment priorities:

  • Evaluate Staffing Needs: Review business goals and identify areas where additional talent is required. Focus on skill gaps, team scaling, or specialized roles aligned with new initiatives.
  • Adjust Recruitment Strategy: Adapt your approach based on business growth. For example, prioritize senior-level roles if leadership expansion is needed or attract industry-specific talent if entering new markets.
  • Forecast Future Talent Needs: Plan for the next 6-12 months. Build a candidate pipeline, especially for roles with long hiring cycles or high demand.
  • Leverage Data and Analytics: Use insights from past hiring efforts to refine your strategy. Analyze hiring timelines, successful candidate sources, and potential bottlenecks to optimize your recruitment process.

These steps will help ensure you’re ready to meet your hiring needs and maintain momentum through the rest of the year. Connect with us today to help streamline your recruitment process and secure top talent to drive your business forward. Learn more about our RaaS offerings here!

5. HR After Dark Episode 22: Empowering Women to Build Wealth: Tips for Financial Success

In this episode of HR After Dark, Marcia O'Connor and Meghan Popoleo are joined by Regina McCann Hess, CFP®, Founder of Forge Wealth Management, LLC.

Regina emphasizes the importance of what you keep over what you spend and shares her approach to empowering women in wealth-building. She explains how open conversations around the breakfast table about finances can help maintain healthy spending habits.

Tune in to hear Regina’s expert advice on saving for retirement, college, and other financial goals. Watch the episode here!

6. Let's Get Local

Mercer Street Friends is a nonprofit organization that provides food for those who are food insecure, support for families, and educational opportunities that lead to a better tomorrow. They work in collaboration with social and human service organizations, the Trenton School District, and medical health resources to ensure that families of all ages and stages can access the services they need to live a more fulfilling life.

There are many ways to get involved with Mercer Street Friends. By volunteering, individuals and groups become part of the Mercer Street Friends Family and of a larger story, one where every act of kindness is a service that contributes to building a stronger, more connected community throughout Mercer County. Learn more about Mercer Street Friends here!

7. Wellness Wednesday Tip

Are you a workaholic? What is a workaholic? A workaholic is someone who compulsively works long hours and has difficulty stepping away, even when it's taking a toll on their health, relationships, or mental clarity. Sound familiar? You're not alone.

Signs you might be a workaholic:

  • You feel guilty when you’re not working
  • You skip meals or work late most nights
  • You struggle to “turn off” even on weekends
  • You often feel burnout creeping in, but keep going anyway

We get it, there’s pride in being committed and productive. But constant overwork can sneakily sabotage your long-term performance, energy, and happiness. The healthiest, highest-performing professionals know when to work hard and when to rest harder.

A few gentle reminders this week:
1. Take real breaks (the “scroll and stress” lunch break doesn’t count!)
2. Step outside, fresh air can do wonders for your mental reset
3. Set a hard stop to your workday, and honor it
4. Unplug. If you're always reachable, you're never truly recharging

Your well-being matters, and we're all better, brighter, and more effective when we're not running on empty.

Take care of yourselves, you’re the only you you’ve got. Learn more here!

This information is provided for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice. The O’Connor Group makes no representations as to the completeness, suitability, or validity of any information contained herein and will not be liable for any errors or omissions.

Let’s start with a conversation.